Card structure and method of making same



Oct. 7, 1952 L. BAKER CARD STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed June 23, 1949 FIG.

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ATTO R N EY Patented Oct. 7, 1952 CARD STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Leonard Baker, Hillsdale, N. J assignor, by mesne assignments, to Filmsort, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application June 23, 1949, Serial No. 100,793

11 Claims.

Zhis invention relates to a card structure and the method of making the same.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide anovel construction wherein a record sheet or insert, such asa micro-film, photograph or the like, is mounted in .a. statistical or other record or catalogue card, whereby the same may be conveniently filed and indexed, classified and sorted as to subject matter, projected and viewed, or otherwise employed.

Heretofore, it has been proposed to mount film sections or other transparencies for filing, classifying, sorting and other purposesby employing a card having an aperture therein to receive the film section, and adhesively securing said film section to a transparent or opaqueadhesive coated sheet which is secured to one surface of the card and extends across the aperture. In the case of an opaque adhesive sheet the latter is provided with an opening smaller than the card aperture toexpose a portion of the film section and permit light to be transmitted therethrough. It also has been proposed to employ a transparent or translucent adhesive sheet having an opening therein smaller than the card aperture to facilitate the'transmission of light through the film section, and to utilize a card having an aperture therein and an embossed recess in one surface thereof surrounding said aperture, in which recess the film or adhesive sheet may be placed and secured so that the outer surface of said film or sheet is even with or slightly below the surfaceof the card.

These prior structures have the disadvantages that they are expensive and difficult to manufacture and require expensive machinery; and there is no assurance that the embossed recess in the card will remain its original depth to maintain the film .or adhesive sheett-hereinbelow the surface of the card for sufficiently-long periods regar-mess of weather and storage conditions. Inserts which project beyond the surface of the cards are apt to be torn fromsa id .cards in the handling thereof, and they interfere with the proper filing of the cards and .proper machine or other handling of the same for perforating or punching, classifmngandsorting, projecting and v'iewinggor other purposes. Additionally, a -portion of useful filmarea is lostwhenan opaque or died-out adhesive sheet is employed due to the rim of ,said sheet proiecting inside the a erture otthecard. H .It is accordin -1y another cinectioif the inven. tion to .overoome the above mentionedidisadvantags byproviding an improwedand simple structure which may be easily and inexpensively produced and wherein the film or other record sheet is secured within an aperture in a card without the aid of an adhesive coated sheet or an embossed recess in said card.

Another object is to provide a record or other card structure having a film section or other record bearing strip mounted in an aperture therein in a novel manner, whereby said card is satisfactory with respect to machine handling and may be employed in connection with known and existing record card handling machines.

Another object is to provide a novel card structure having an aperture therein and a transparency, such as micro-film, secured within said aperture solely by an adhesive.

A further object is to provide a novel method of mounting a film section or other record bearing strip in a record or other card, whereby the card structure is not only materially simplified, but may be made in quantities and supplied to .users thereof in a prepared form ready for mounting of the film section therein in a relatively simple manner.

A still further object is to provide for use in mounting a transparency, such as micro-film, a record or other card structure having a series of openings therein arranged in a closed pattern conforming to the peripheral contour of the film, each of said openings containing a quantity of an adhesive substance in a dry non-tacky nonflowable solid state.

Another object is to mount a transparency, such as micro-film, in a record or other card structure by providing the latter, around an aperture therein for receiving said transparency, with a series of spaced notches which open into said aperture and are filled with an activatable adhesive substance in a dry non-tacky non-fiowable solid state, activating said adhesive substance and simultaneously applying pressure thereon to cause the same to flow from said notches into bonding contact with the peripheral edge of the transparency disposed within said aperture.

The above and further objects and novel features of the present invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawing. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is forthe purpose of illustration only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views,

Fig. l is a face view of one form of card embodying the present invention and showing the same in its first stage of development;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary face view of said card and showing the same in its second stage of development;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing he card in its third stage of development;

4: is a view similar to Figs. 2 and 3, but showing the card in its final stage of development with the transparency or micro-film mounted therein; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 5-5 cl Fig. 4.

The present invention. is herein illustrated and described as embodied in a statistical or tabu lating card of the IBM type whereby transparencies, such as micro-films, afiixed to such cards may be machine classified as to subject matter in accordance with a particular code by perforations in said cards as well understood in the tabulating machine art, and automatically sorted under the control of said perforations in known and existing IBM record card sorting machines. However, this is to be considered as illustrative only of one form of card with which the present invention may be used because it may also be embodied in marginally punched cards of the McEee type and commercially known as Keysort cards, as well as in other forms oi record and catalogue cards, and ordinary cards for various purposes. The invention also cornprehends the mounting 01' photographs, as well as other opaque, translucent and transparent sheets.

Referrin to the drawing, It indicates an oblong single ply card which is formed of cardboard or heavy relatively stiff paper material. In the illustrated embodiment, card it! is of the same shape and size in all dimensions as the cards commonly employed in connection with known IBM statistical, tabulating and record card sorting systems and machines, but it is repeated that said card may be of any desired type, shape and size. In preparing card 50 for mounting therein of a record bearing sheet or insert I i (Figs. 4 and 5) which, in the illustrated embodiment is a single plate of picture-carryin micro-film, said card, as shown in Fig. 1, is first provided at a selected position with a series of holes or openings 62 which are arranged in a closed pattern conforming to the peripheral contour of the film or insert ii. In the illustrated embodiment, the holes i 2 are in the shape of an equilateral triangle and they are so arranged in a square pattern with a side 13 of each hole facing inwardly that the portion 13' of the card confined by the aligned sides 13 is square the same as the film or insert 1 i and is substantially the same size as said film or insert, two of said holes at each corher of said pattern being in close proximity to each other. It will be understood that the pattern of openings [2 may be varied as desired to conform to the peripheral contour of more than one plate of micro-film or of other types shapes of inserts. Additionally, ie openings it may be round, square, oblong or any other shape. In the event round openings are employed, said openings should be arranged in a pattern such that the centers thereof define an outline conforming to the size and peripheral contour of the insert, as will appear hereafter. I

The triangular openings l2 or other openings of a selected shape may be formed in card is in one operation or in repeated operations by a punch and die device suitably constructed for this purpose.

As shown in Fig. 2, afte the openings i2 are formed in card 50 as desc. ed, openings are filled with a suitable activatable adhesive substance in a dry non-tacky non-fiowable solid state. In the illustrated embodiment, the adhesive substance i4 is or" the type which requires he use of heat to render the same plastic and to activate it to adhesivencss, but other compressible adhesives activated by a solvent for exam ple may also be employed. The adhesive substance it may be introduced into the openings it by placing a ribbon of said dry non-tacky solid ad hesive on the card H3 and over said openings, and then dieing-out therefrom bits of a corresponding size and shape and forcing the same into the openings i2 under a light pressure sufiicient to cause said bits of adhesive to spread out and cling to the walls of said openings. This may be ac complished by placing the card 50 with the ribcon-adhesive thereon on an imperforate backing-plate and employing a die-punch the same as or similar to the punch for forming the open ings l2 in the card. The adhesive substance i4 may also be introduced into the openings H. by employing a plunger unit operating withing a reservoir containing a supply of said adhesive made plastic by heat, and forcing quantities of said plastic adhesive into the openings i2. The pie.- tic adhesive introduced into the openings [2 will thereafter set to a dry non-tacky ncn-flowable solid adhering to the walls of the openings. The card it! prepared as thus far described and shown in Fig. may be made in quantities and supplied in this prepared form to users thereof for subsequent mounting of the micro-film i i or other insert therein, as hereinafter described.

After the adhesive substance M has been introduced into the openings .42 as previously described, the portion iii of card iii confined by the sides i3 of the adhesive-filled openings i2 is died-out, as shown in directly along said sides, whereupon a square aperture l5 of the same shape and substantially of the same size as the film or insert H is formed in said card, and the adhesive-filled holes i2 are transformed into adesive-filled V-shaped notches i8 opening into said aperture. It will be noted that by virtue of the adhesive-filled notches it, the adhesive substance ld constitutes a major portion of the surrounding wall of aperture iii. The dieing-out of the aperture I5 may be effected by a suitable punch and die unit of the proper shape and size. The card ii] prepared as thus far described and shown in Fig. 3 may also be supplied in this fur-- ther prepared form to users thereof for subsequent mounting of the film or other insert therein.

For convenience in handling and filing of the cards l0, and to insure efiective handling of said cards in record card punching, tabulating and sorting machines, as Well as in other card handling machines, the thickness of the film or insert should not exceed the thickness of the card and said film or insert should not project beyond opposite plane surfaces of said card. In the illustrated embodiment, the card I0 is of a thickness greater than the thickness of the film or insert it, said card, like the tabulatlng cards in actual commercial use, being approximately .0075 of an inch thick, and said film being approximately .005 of an inch thick. When the thickness of the film II or other insert is less than the thickness of card In, said film or insert may be set inwardly-from both expensive to manufacture.

5 faces. of the card, as 'intheillustrated embodiment, thereby protecting both surfaces of the film or insert against injurious abrasive action, and at the same time insuring that both faces of the card are flush orflat and completely lacking of any projections. 4 There now remains the mounting of the film or insert II in the aperture, I5 of, card It ,and the securing .of said film to saidcard, as shown in Figs. 4, 5 of the drawing. Thefilm II is died-out or cut from a roll, thereof to the same sizeand shape of the aperture [5 so that when said filmis inserted. in said aperture the resulting ,fit will virtually be card to, film. The.

film II is placed within the aperture. l5 and located centrally between the opposite :plane surfaces ofthe card ID. The portion only of card 10 surrounding the aperture l5 and inserted film [I and containing the adhesivefilled notches I6 is then subjected toheat and a pressure sufiiciently to cause the adhesive substance [4 to become plastic and. flow fromxthe notches it into adhering contact with the peripheral. edges. of the film I|,- and to symmetrically .compress or gradually taper opposite :sidesyof said surrounding card portion: to the thickness of the film ll. When the plastic adhesive substance l4 cools at normal room temperature, it sets to :a dry non-tacky non-flow- ..able solid adhering .to both card and film, thus bonding the latter to the card.

...The dieing-out of. the film II or other insert maybe effected by thesame punch and die unit for forming the aperture l5 in the card since therfilm'or insert. and the aperture are the same in shape and in. size. The bonding of the film H or other insert to the card may be effected by a separate mechanism suitably constructed and having-ha movable presser Iiember for the film-or insert associated with a fixed. card and filmv backing-plate, said presser member being surrounded by and insulated from a heated rim, or flange for heating the adhesive substance and compressing the latter and the card. The dieing-out of the film H or other insert, the inserting of said film or insert into the aperture in the card, and the bonding. of

.the film .or insert to the card, may all be effected by a single mechanism suitably constructed and having. a movable punch. associated with a suit- Y able die and a card and film backing-plate and surrounded by and insulated from a heated rim or flange, said punch acting to die-out the film and insert it in the aperture, and said rim or flange acting to thereafter heat the adhesive substance and compress the latter and the card.

It will thus be apparent that the film II' or other insert is secured within the aperture I of card Ill solely by the adhesive substance I which is wholly confined between the opposite plane. surfaces of the card and surrounds the aperture l5. By virtue of this simple mountin: of. the film or insert the complete card structure is. materially simplified and it is in- There is no loss of useful film area, the need of a separate adhesive coated sheet and an embossed recess therefor in the card are entirely eliminated, and there are no projections on either surface of the card that might interfere with the proper handling thereof.

It will also be apparent that the novel construction of the card enables the mounting of micro-films and other inserts in apertures of the same size, and the use of a quantit of ad- '6 hesive substance sufiicient to insure a good bond between the film or insert and the card without said adhesive substance overlapping the film or insert.

Additionally, the novel construction of the card provides a mount which may be made and stocked in quantities and supplied to users thereof as prepared mounts for subsequent use thereby as needed for mounting micro-film and other inserts for various'purposes. V

.A further advantage of the improved construction is that the film or insert ll. may be removed from the card without injuring the film or insert or. the card. This may be accomplished by simply cutting or dieing-out the film or insert from the card by means of the same punch and die unit used to form the aperture in the card. Accordingly, a film or other insert may be removed from one card and inserted in another card, and other films or the like may be substituted for the insert originally mounted in the card.

Although only one embodiment of the invention has been described in the foregoing specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, it is to be understood that the same is not limited to said embodiment or to the particular type of card or insert disclosed. Various changes may be made in the structure, as well as in the mode of manufacture and manner of use, some of which have been mentioned in the foregoing specification, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention,

as will now be clear to those skilled in the art.

For examplethe micro-film or insert Ii may be slightly smaller than the aperture IS in the card [0 so that the adhesive substance It will also fiow and set between the peripheral edges of the insert and the adjacent walls of said aperture constituted by the lands between adjacent notches I6. Additionally, instead of locating the micro-film or insert ll centrally between the opposite plane surfaces of card [0 and symmetrically compressing opposite sides of said card to reduce the portion thereof surrounding the insert to the thickness of the latter, the insert may be located with its upper or lower surface flush wih the upper or lower surface of the card and one surface only of said card compressed to the thickness of the insert. Further, the card and insert may both be of the same thickness, if desired.

. Whatis claimed is:

1. An article of manufacture, comprising a fiat member, such as a card, of a uniform thickness having an aperture therein of a predetermined size and shape and surrounded by a plurality of notches formed in said card and opening into said aperture, and an activatable adhesive substance wholly within each of said notches and confined between the opposite plane surfaces of said card, said adhesive substance being in a dry non-tacky non-fiowable state.

2. An article of manufacture, comprising a card having a four-sided aperture therein of a predetermined size and surrounded by a plurality of notches formed in said card and opening into said aperture, the notches adjacent the corners of said aperture being interconnected, and an activatable adhesive substance in each of said notches, said adhesive substance being in a dry non-tacky non-fiowable state.

3. An article of manufacture adapted for use in mounting an insert, comprising a card having an aperture therein of the same shape and subsert positioned in said aperture, the thickness [of said insert being not greater than the thickness of said card, and an adhesive substance in each of said openings for securing said insert in position.

5. An article of the character described, comprising a card having an aperture therein and a plurality of openings spaced around said aperture and communicating with the latter, an insert positioned in said aperture, the thickness of said insert being not greater than the thickness of said card, and means in said openings and having an afiinity to the materials of said card and said insert for securing the latter within said aperture.

6. An article or the character described, comprising a card of a uniform thickness having an aperture therein and a plurality of notches spaced around said aperture and opening into the latter, an insert of a thickness less than the thickness of said card Wholly positioned within and closely fitting said aperture, said card having the marginal portion thereof immediately surrounding and defining said aperture compressed to the thickness of said insert, and an adhesive substance in each of said notches for securing said insert to said card.

7.. An article of the character described, comprising a card of a uniform thickness having an aperture therein and a plurality of notches spaced around said aperture and opening into the latter, an insert of a thickness less than the thickness of said card positioned within said aperture centrally between the opposite plane surfaces of said card, said insert being substantially of the same size and shape as said aperture and said card having the portion thereof immediately surrounding said aperture and containing said notches symmetrically tapered at opposite sides thereof to the thickness of said insert, and an adhesive substance in each of said notches and set to a dry non-tacky nonfiowable solid for securing said insert to said card.

8.'The method of mounting an insert, such as a micro-film or the like, which comprises .forming in a card an aperture surrounded by :a plurality of notches containing an adhesive substance in a dry non-tacky non-flowable state, positioning said insert in said aperture, actuating said adhesive substance and simultaneously applying pressure thereto to cause the same to flow from said notches into contact with the peripheral edge of said insert and bond the latter to said card. I

9. The method of mounting an insert, such as a micro-film or the like, which comprises forming in a card an aperture surrounded by a plurality of notches containing an adhesive substance in a dry non-tacky solid state, positioning said insert in said aperture, applying heat and pressure to said adhesive substance to activate it and cause the same to become plastic and flow from said notches into contact with the peripheral edge of said insert, and then permitting said adhesive substance to set.

10. The method of making an article comprising an insert mounted in an apertured card, which comprises forming in the card a plurality of openings in a closed pattern defining a portion of said card of the same shape and substantially the same size as said insert, inserting a quantity of an adhesive substance in a dry nontacky non-flowable state in each of said openings, removing said card portion to form an aperture surrounded by a plurality of notches having said adhesive substance therein, positioning said insert in said aperture, activating said adhesive substance and simultaneously applying pressure thereto to cause the same to flow from said notches into contact with the peripheral edge of said insert and bond the latter to said card.

11. The method of making an article comprising an insert mounted in an apertured card of a thickness greater than the thickness of said insert, which comprises forming in the card a plurality of openings in a closed pattern defining a portion of said card of the same shape and substantially the same size as said insert, inserting a quantity of an adhesive substance in each of said openings in a dry nontacky non-fiowable state, removing said card portion to form an aperture surrounded by a plurality of notches having said adhesive substance therein, positioning said insert in said aperture centrally between the opposite plane surfaces of said card, applying pressure to the marginal portion of said card immediately surrounding said aperture and simultaneously activating said adhesive substance to compress said marginal portion to the thickness of said insert and to cause said adhesive substance to flow from said notches into contact with the peripheral edge of said insert and bond the latter to said card.

LEONARD BAKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS N umber 

